archGFX

the man who taught me to play chess has died.
also, i know every person they quote in the article. that's just weird. i'm meant to be going to the memorial tonight, but i have to clean, in preparation for my father-in-law coming over friday.

Teaching children and playing chess were the passions in Ray Doyle Satterlee's life.

Satterlee, who taught in Queen Bee Elementary District 16 for nearly 30 years, died Friday at 68, just weeks after learning he had brain cancer.

He never married, but Satterlee, of Wheaton, considered his colleagues in the Glendale Heights-based district his family, as were his friends in the chess world, where he excelled.

Mary Biernacki, a teacher at Pheasant Ridge Primary School in Glendale Heights, taught with Satterlee, who was like a grandfather to her kids.

"He was just one of the most interesting people I have ever known," Biernacki said.

Satterlee, who went by his middle name, Doyle, taught gifted students at Pheasant Ridge and at Americana Intermediate School, retiring about 10 years ago.

Since then, he visited frequently as a substitute teacher and continued to coach the scholastic chess team he'd developed in the early 1980s.

"I know for a fact that the one thing that was really important to him and made his life so meaningful is the fact that he made a difference in so many children's lives," Biernacki said. "He was just so proud of the fact that he was a teacher here in this district."

Americana Principal Larry Beadle worked with Satterlee for about five years.

"He was really exceptionally kind and a very thoughtful person," Beadle said.

Satterlee's skills and passion for chess were notable: He tied for first place in three U.S. Senior Opens, twice won the Illinois Senior Open and, in 1998, beat Hikaru Nakamura, who went on to become the current U.S. champion. Satterlee also defeated six chess Grandmasters in exhibitions.

Aldo Lenzi, who just retired from teaching at Glenside Middle School, coached and spent entire days with Satterlee during chess tournaments.

"He thought by teaching kids chess that it would sharpen their mind skills and help them think better," Lenzi said.

Glendale Heights' Mike Giampa, 22, played scholastic chess under Satterlee's coaching from third to eighth grade and eventually started playing in adult tournaments, too.

"That's when he really took me under his wing," Giampa said. "He was still my coach and my mentor but at the same time, he was a good friend."

Visitation will be 3 to 9 p.m. today and 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Cypress Funeral Home, at 1698 N. Bloomingdale Road in Glendale Heights. A service will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home."

the daily herald story won't be available after the end of the week, but there's also a story in the Chicago Tribune

google also led me to a few forum posts, at chessbanter and ILchess. his uschess rating information is here